The season finale of FX’s Grotesquerie has left fans wanting more; all of them are reeling as Ed Laclan, played by Travis Kelce, concluded his journey on the show. The portrayal of his character, Ed, was initially that of a charming hospital orderly with a mullet who later joins a men’s support group—offered fans a complex and surprising narrative.
The show's horror-thriller storyline brought unexpected revelations about Ed's true circumstances and how his arc intertwined with those of Merritt and Lois. The official summary of the show reads as follows:
"A detective and a nun investigate a series of heinous crimes that seem personal, while grappling with personal issues and uncovering a sinister web that raises more questions than answers."
Ed's transformation: From coma-induced illusion to harsh reality
When it was revealed mid-season that Lois, not her husband, was in a coma, Ed's Grotesquerie storyline took a dramatic turn, making most of what fans believed to be true fiction of her vision. The plot shifts back to the actual Ed in the last episode, who has accepted a new identity and personal transformations, given up his trademark mullet, and set out on a path of self-redemption.
As he talks with Marshall, Lois' husband, about why he joined a men's support group, Ed takes responsibility for his life at the climax and declares that he believes that constructively expressing his rage will save him.
Character dynamics and actor challenges explored
Ed and Lois shared a stunning chemistry in the show, which was true for both her dreams as well as in reality. The chemistry was also further spiked up by Kelce’s real-life camaraderie with co-star Niecy Nash-Betts. Both have had a good time working with each other, Nash-Betts made Kelce very comfortable in his first ever acting role. Betts, in an interview with US Weekly in October 2024, said:
"I just wanted to make sure I was very, very present for him in this new space. [He was] coming into the acting world and was just getting baptized in [the acting world] real quick.”
Further talking about her ease at playing this part, given her flirty personality, she said:
“I was born to flirt, so that part is easy.”
Kelce, in the same interview, also spoke about his first time on screen; he said:
"Right now, I’m just taking it scene by scene and trying to make sure that I remember my lines. Like I said, I’m very amaetur at this."
He further added:
"The biggest difference from being outside of the acting world and starting to get into it, is you’re very much in tune with scenes. You don’t want to get so caught up with the lines, you want to be in the scene with whoever you’re acting with, right?"
Ed’s future and the possibility of more screen time
Though Ed survived the season finale, what lies ahead for his character is unclear. Fans were delighted to see Kelce successfully tackle a challenging, dual-role performance and have expressed hopes for his continued involvement in the entertainment world. For now, Kelce’s impressive debut and character evolution in Grotesquerie have cemented his role in television as memorable and unexpected.
Grotesquerie is available for streaming on Hulu, allowing viewers to revisit Ed Laclan's unique journey on the show.